RCB bring in Gleeson for INR 1.6 crore as injury cover in 2026

Royal Challengers Bengaluru replace Thushara with left-arm seamer David Gleeson for the 2026 season.

Gleeson joins RCB Left-arm seamer David Gleeson, aged 38, has been acquired by Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) for the 2026 campaign. RCB paid INR 1.6 crore to secure his services. Gleeson brings prior IPL experience from stints with Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Mumbai Indians (MI). During his time with CSK, he featured in two matches in 2024, while he played one game for MI in 2025. ## Thushara's exit explained RCB signed Thushara for INR 1.6 crore ahead of the 2025 season, where he made a single appearance in their championship run. The franchise retained him for 2026, but Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) refused to grant a No Objection Certificate (NOC) due to his failure to meet required fitness benchmarks. Thushara had earlier lodged a legal challenge against SLC, later withdrawing it and submitting a formal apology to the board. In his original court filing, he also declared his intention to retire from international cricket, though his current stance on that remains uncertain. ## CSK name Kuldip as replacement Chennai Super Kings (CSK) have drafted right-arm fast bowler Kuldip Yadav as a temporary replacement for Khaleel Ahmed, who sustained an injury. Khaleel featured in five matches during the season, claiming two wickets at an economy rate of 8.67 before exiting against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) due to a quadriceps strain. Kuldip has prior IPL experience, having turned out for Rajasthan Royals (RR) in three games across the 2021 and 2023 seasons. CSK acquired his services for INR 30 lakh.